Cecil County

APG Federal Credit Union recently honored 41 employees for their service to the credit union with a ceremony at the Bulle Rock Clubhouse in Havre de Grace. While honorees enjoyed a breakfast buffet, Executive Vice President William Schultheis and Senior Vice President Genene LaCour recognized employees who celebrated milestone anniversaries at the credit union in 2012. Honorees include: 35 Year Award, Nancy Hill; 25 Year Award, Sharon Gustafson, Kimberly Hadry, Susan McDonald; 20 Year Award, Beth Bayer, Joelle Hash, Carol McBrien; 15 Year Award, Alicia Figueroa, Claudia Scarborough; 10 Year Award, Susan Baroch, Gail Billings, Pamela Cassell, Roslyn Copeland, Monica Dilworth, Jim Hall, Sharon Hudler, Rhonda Kimble, Dana Kraemer, Kelly Martin, Patrick McKinney, Marilyn Rawls, Crystal Ross, Brenda Soellner; Five Year Award, Megan Barnes, Erica Bishop, Deborah Brandt, Jannell Bryson, Michele Bush, Amanda Donnelly, Diana Enos, Michael German, Dennis Hurley, Amy Kessell, Erica Lake, Damon Natt, Kathleen Russell, Jennifer Schmidt, Danielle Schrader, Janice Setlock, Theresa Stine and Belinda Svec.

Since 1917, scientists and engineers at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center have extended their talents and expertise in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) beyond the defense against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives threats. They have mentored students in their surrounding community in an effort to inspire, develop and attract a highly-skilled STEM workforce that is prepared to find solutions to complex problems and to tackle the challenges of the future.

Editor: Harford County was a wonderful place to have grown-up, riding ponies, attending Harford Horse Show Association Shows, and moreover, enjoying country living. The country living which I experienced was one of cooperation, where I never heard a chorus of extremist political views.  However, and sadly,  Harford County has come to be known by State Stakeholders as having political representation which holds beliefs which are far to the right on the political spectrum. The Harford County Delegation in general in known to hold these extreme, right-wing beliefs.

A Cecil County high school teacher who once considered dropping out of school but "worked and borrowed" her way to become the first in her family to graduate from college has been named one of the four finalists for the title of National Teacher of the Year, the state department of education announced Thursday. Rhonda Holmes-Blankenship, an English teacher at Rising Sun High School and Maryland's reigning Teacher of the Year, will compete against teachers from Florida, New Hampshire and Washington, the department said in a release.

The death of Aaliyah Boyer, a 10-year-old struck down in Cecil County, and the shooting of Laurie Eberhardt, a grandmother hit by gunfire in Florida, share the same perplexing challenge for prosecutors and investigators. Both were watching fireworks on New Year's Eve when they were hit by apparent celebratory gunfire. And both face long odds of having their shooters brought to justice because of the anonymity of the crime and weak laws against firing guns indiscriminately into the air. If authorities ever find the person who fired the shot that hit Aaliyah, the county's top prosecutor said, a misdemeanor charge might be the most he or she could face.

Aaliyah Boyer had hoped to watch the New Year's ball drop on TV, but when she learned she had missed the stroke of midnight by 32 seconds, she returned to the front yard with her friends to watch her neighbors light fireworks. Nearby, someone apparently fired a gun into the air to add to the celebration. Amid the jubilation, the 10-year-old fell to the ground, the warmth and color draining from her body after she was hit by a falling bullet. Her family initially thought that she had fainted, but the wound would prove fatal.

Four more days remain until St. Nicholas arrives. By this time next week, there will be nothing left but leftovers. Last weekend in church, our minister blessed the straw in the manger. The story goes that if a husband/father takes a piece of straw and keeps it in his wallet or pocket, his family will never go hungry. May that be my wish for you and yours. The Ladies Auxiliary units from Singerly, North East, Rising Sun, Chesapeake City, Perryville and Water Witch fire companies gathered at North East Fire Hall for their quarterly dinner meeting.

The Maryland Republican Party rejected a resolution Saturday calling on the newly elected Cecil County executive to step down after she changed her party affiliation from the GOP to independent. Meanwhile, a much-discussed move to call for state GOP Chairman Alex Mooney's resignation never materialized. Holding its first statewide convention since its dismal showing in the Nov. 6 election, the party also turned down a resolution urging its representatives to the national GOP to vote against a second term for Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus.

The incoming Cecil County executive's decision to switch her party registration from Republican to independent Thursday has become a major flashpoint at the state GOP convention in Howard County this weekend, exposing a gaping split in party ranks. Tari Moore, who was elected Nov. 6 as Cecil's first executive under charter government, confirmed Friday that she had changed her registration -- less than four weeks after winning election under the Republican banner and with financial support from the state GOP. Moore said she would give a full explanation of her reasons when she is worn in Monday.